Stone Town + Prison Island + Nakupenda Sandbank

Your Stone Town experience begins with a guided walking tour through the winding alleyways of this remarkable living city. Your local guide — born and raised in Stone Town — will bring the city's complex, layered history vividly to life.

The tour takes in the House of Wonders (Beit el Ajaib), formerly the largest building in sub-Saharan Africa and a symbol of the Sultans' power; the Old Fort (Arab Fort), built by the Omanis in 1699 to repel Portuguese invasion; the Palace Museum (People's Palace), the former residence of the Sultan of Zanzibar; and the haunting Old Slave Market — the site of the last open slave market in East Africa, now home to an Anglican Cathedral.

We also visit the famous carved doors of Stone Town — over 560 uniquely carved doorways that served as statements of status and wealth in the 19th century. Each door tells a story through its carvings: brass spike studs indicate Indian ownership, while deep chains carved in relief mark Arab merchant homes.

The Darajani Market — Zanzibar's main spice and food market — is an assault on the senses in the most wonderful way. Piles of brilliant spices: cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, nutmeg; mountains of tropical fruits; and the calls of vendors create an atmosphere of wonderful, organised chaos.

A short 20-minute boat ride from Stone Town brings you to Prison Island, one of the most unique wildlife encounters in East Africa. The island was established as a detention facility in 1893 for Zanzibari slaves awaiting deportation, but was never actually used as a prison. Instead, it became a yellow fever quarantine station for the entire East African coast.

Today, the island is most famous for its colony of Aldabra giant tortoises. Originally brought from the Seychelles in 1919 as a gift from the British governor, the colony has grown to over 100 individuals. These are among the largest tortoises on earth — the elderly males can exceed 250 kilograms and measure 1.5 metres in length.

Aldabra tortoises are extraordinarily long-lived. Some of the tortoises on Prison Island are estimated to be over 150 years old — meaning they were alive during the era of the Zanzibar Sultanate. They move through the world with a wonderful, unhurried serenity that is deeply calming to observe.

Guests can hand-feed the tortoises with fresh grass and fruit provided by the sanctuary, and photographs with these ancient creatures are a highlight of every visit. It is genuinely moving to look into the eyes of an animal that has lived through so much history.

The name Nakupenda means "I Love You" in Swahili, and it is a name completely justified by the reality of this extraordinary place. At low tide, the sandbank emerges from the sea as a broad, curved crescent of blindingly white sand, surrounded by water in every shade of blue and turquoise imaginable.

The sheer improbability of the place — a deserted strip of sand rising from the open ocean, with nothing but sea for miles in every direction — creates a sense of magic and isolation that is impossible to replicate. Standing on the sandbank at midday, watching the lazy waves curl onto the shore, you feel entirely removed from the ordinary world.

The waters surrounding Nakupenda are excellent for snorkeling, with a healthy reef system sheltering colourful reef fish, sea turtles, and the occasional stingray. The sandy seabed is also safe for swimming at all depths.

Lunch is a legendary Zanzibar-style BBQ served on the sandbank itself — freshly caught fish, prawns, and calamari grilled to perfection, accompanied by rice, coconut salad, and tropical fruit. It is one of the finest dining experiences available anywhere on the island.